Earliest Celebration Disembarkation Time

[SpasmaticAstroturf]

Any prior Celebration cruisers remember the earliest clearance given to disembark?  I know when Carnival suggested disembarkation times.  I was wondering if anyone specifically knew the disembarkation time from their cruise?  We have somewhat of an early flight and wanted to prepare ahead of time.

 

Thanks for any help!

[Elaine5715]

50 minutes ago, SpasmaticAstroturf said:

Any prior Celebration cruisers remember the earliest clearance given to disembark?  I know when Carnival suggested disembarkation times.  I was wondering if anyone specifically knew the disembarkation time from their cruise?  We have somewhat of an early flight and wanted to prepare ahead of time.

 

Thanks for any help!

If you disregard recommended flight times and there is an issue, your travel insurance will not cover costs 

[staceyglow]

Don't ignore Carnival recommendations as to the earliest flight you should book.

 

I speak as someone whose ship got back into port 3 hours late yesterday.

Edited March 27, 2023 by staceyglow

[csm5986142]

We were on Celebration in January.  According to my Uber receipt, we were off the ship and in the Uber by 7:45 am (and arrived at MIA at 8:03 am).

We are platinum and were instructed to meet at 7:30 am for priority debarkation.  We arrived at the location at approximately 7:25 am and everybody was already gone. so they were apparently ahead of schedule on our cruise.

If you have an early flight (and are not suites/platinum/diamond) you can go to guest services with your flight info and they will include you in the priority debarkation process.

[FLCruisinMom]

Just got off yesterday and they called for those doing self-debarkation at 7a.m. I am platinum but sent bags the night prior, I was off by 7:45a.m.

[ray98]

It depends on the sailing.  Disembarking can be delayed for any number of reasons for a few minutes to a couple of hours.

[asalligo]

7:50 for me with FTTF and Self Debark, be aware though that often ships hit a snag and this can be an hour or so later. 

[cellfree]

6 hours ago, csm5986142 said:

We were on Celebration in January.  According to my Uber receipt, we were off the ship and in the Uber by 7:45 am (and arrived at MIA at 8:03 am).

We are platinum and were instructed to meet at 7:30 am for priority debarkation.  We arrived at the location at approximately 7:25 am and everybody was already gone. so they were apparently ahead of schedule on our cruise.

If you have an early flight (and are not suites/platinum/diamond) you can go to guest services with your flight info and they will include you in the priority debarkation process.

We had pretty much the same experience two weeks ago, except when heading to lounge came across fun squad guy who said all platinum luggage was ready and we could join the walk-offs if we wanted to so off we went, (never did make it to lounge so don’t know if they were still sitting there or not), caught Uber which was seamless and arrived MIA by 8:15. 

[uprivermama]

February 19th we were cleared for self debark a little after 7am; we are platinum and the diamonds were released a few minutes before us. It was a very smooth debark process for self debark passengers.

[DramaQueen22]

You are rolling the dice with an early flight.  Debark times are completely dependent upon when the ship arrives in Miami and when it is cleared by Customs.  If there's any delay in arriving back at port, you'll be out of luck.  Delays can happen for weather or a host of other circumstances.

 

If possible, you may want to pay whatever change fee your airline has and switch to a later flight.  If you end up missing your original one, the headaches of rebooking are just not worth it imo.

[SpasmaticAstroturf]

Thanks for all the replies!!!

 

We are platinum, so that helps.  I know it all depends when the ship docks, gets clearance plus any delays that could happen.

 

It seems I remember from a past cruise the ship docked before 5:00 am one time.  

 

The flights were outrageously high for this trip but lucked out getting 2 for 1 airfare with Delta Skymiles AMEX card.    Unfortunately, the flight back home was only for a mid-morning departure.  I can call Delta 24 hours before our flight to try and get a later flight since we are medallion members.  We are just getting our ducks in a row.  I don't mind the challenge.  Plus, we purchased the TSA pre check to skip the TSA line.  BTW, one of the Platinum Skymiles card benefits pays for the $78 registration fee.

 

Can you head down to the exit area around 6:30am?

 

Any anyone else has any suggestions, please feel free to jump the thread to help us out.

 

Thanks!

[mz-s]

They will not allow passengers to just loiter around the exit area until Customs clears the ship. You can notify guest services of your early flight and they will tell you where to wait until you can disembark.

 

Sometimes people learn the hard way just how expensive it can sometimes be to be cheap. I hope for your sake you don't learn this lesson on your upcoming cruise vacation.

Edited March 28, 2023 by mz-s

[cellfree]

42 minutes ago, SpasmaticAstroturf said:

Thanks for all the replies!!!

 

We are platinum, so that helps.  I know it all depends when the ship docks, gets clearance plus any delays that could happen.

 

It seems I remember from a past cruise the ship docked before 5:00 am one time.  

 

The flights were outrageously high for this trip but lucked out getting 2 for 1 airfare with Delta Skymiles AMEX card.    Unfortunately, the flight back home was only for a mid-morning departure.  I can call Delta 24 hours before our flight to try and get a later flight since we are medallion members.  We are just getting our ducks in a row.  I don't mind the challenge.  Plus, we purchased the TSA pre check to skip the TSA line.  BTW, one of the Platinum Skymiles card benefits pays for the $78 registration fee.

 

Can you head down to the exit area around 6:30am?

 

Any anyone else has any suggestions, please feel free to jump the thread to help us out.

 

Thanks!

Spoke of our experience earlier. To be clearer will add this - i believe Platinum baggage is always ready about the same time the walk-offs with luggage start. So, we joined the walk-offs at about 7:30, (as we were walking towards the lounge we were to wait in, fun squad guy said to join walk-offs if we wanted to or we could wait til walk-offs ended), so off we went. All that to say, we didn’t have to haul our luggage off ourselves and we were off same time as those that did. Platinum does help! Need to add, glad to live in Florida and not have to figure out flights times like we used to. 

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, SpasmaticAstroturf said:

Thanks for all the replies!!!

 

We are platinum, so that helps.  I know it all depends when the ship docks, gets clearance plus any delays that could happen.

 

It seems I remember from a past cruise the ship docked before 5:00 am one time.  

 

The flights were outrageously high for this trip but lucked out getting 2 for 1 airfare with Delta Skymiles AMEX card.    Unfortunately, the flight back home was only for a mid-morning departure.  I can call Delta 24 hours before our flight to try and get a later flight since we are medallion members.  We are just getting our ducks in a row.  I don't mind the challenge.  Plus, we purchased the TSA pre check to skip the TSA line.  BTW, one of the Platinum Skymiles card benefits pays for the $78 registration fee.

 

Can you head down to the exit area around 6:30am?

 

Any anyone else has any suggestions, please feel free to jump the thread to help us out.

 

Thanks!

Docking early doesn't always matter if Customs isn't there to start processing.  I would call Delta now to see about moving back

Edited March 28, 2023 by Elaine5715

[BoozinCroozin]

All of the warnings are great and parroted all the time. The fact is there are always circumstances that happen. In general they are fewer and far between. You are probably asking because you are in a situation with the insane flight costs where a less expensive flight or other requirements make you book an earlier flight. We have an 11AM flight out of FLL. We have FTTF and if there are no delays, we should be off the ship around 7:45AM. That will put us at FLL around 9AM. We have TSA Precheck. We have about a 1-hour window of error. If we don't make it, we deal with SWA standby. From the people I have heard from FAR more people make their early flights than miss it. Those that do are accommodated and put on another flight without issue. The airlines have standby passengers already to take your seats.

Edited March 28, 2023 by BoozinCroozin

[csm5986142]

16 hours ago, SpasmaticAstroturf said:

Can you head down to the exit area around 6:30am?

 

Since you are platinum you will receive a letter in your cabin telling you where to meet for priority debarkation (and a specific time).  I have seen people go about 30 minutes early (just in case they are ahead of schedule) and Carnival is fine with that.  Some ships even put out juice and pastries.  Suites/Diamonds debark first, but you will be right behind them (a matter of minutes).  

Sorry, I also meant to specify, in regard to the times I mentioned in my prior post, we travel with only carry-ons and carry our luggage off.

Edited March 28, 2023 by csm5986142

[csm5986142]

7 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

All of the warnings are great and parroted all the time. The fact is there are always circumstances that happen. In general they are fewer and far between.

 

This is a great point, and ultimately it comes down to what you personally are comfortable with.  I hate sitting around the airport after my cruise when I just want to get home, so I always book early flights, 10:00 am being the earliest (and I don't recommend that as it's not doable at all ports).  We have done a total of 26 cruises and have not missed a flight yet, but I know it could happen, and we are willing to deal with the consequences.

But we do everything we can to get off the ship and to the airport quickly.  We always carry our own luggage, I check both Uber and Lyft well before we get off the ship, so I can grab the earliest option as soon as we exit the terminal, we also have TSA Precheck (and don't check luggage). 

 

[mz-s]

1 minute ago, csm5986142 said:

 

This is a great point, and ultimately it comes down to what you personally are comfortable with.  I hate sitting around the airport after my cruise when I just want to get home, so I always book early flights, 10:00 am being the earliest (and I don't recommend that as it's not doable at all ports).  We have done a total of 26 cruises and have not missed a flight yet, but I know it could happen, and we are willing to deal with the consequences.

But we do everything we can to get off the ship and to the airport quickly.  We always carry our own luggage, I check both Uber and Lyft well before we get off the ship, so I can grab the earliest option as soon as we exit the terminal, we also have TSA Precheck (and don't check luggage).

 

Handling your own luggage is really the key to saving a ton of time when traveling.

 

It is up to everyone's individual comfort level. Which is why posts like this are strange to me. Generally the people asking already have their mind made up what they're going to do and we see that here in this post as well. So why even ask?

[BoozinCroozin]

16 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Generally the people asking already have their mind made up what they're going to do and we see that here in this post as well. So why even ask?

In many cases, there are financial reasons. For our travel time, the cheapest flights leave before 9AM. The other available flights besides the one we booked is $750 more for the 3 of us. For other people, it can be $1,000s. Everyone has to have a comfort level. Each comes with risks and rewards. If we miss our flight, we don't pay a penalty. We just have to deal with standby which could mean the next morning.

[kennystwin]

17 hours ago, SpasmaticAstroturf said:

Any anyone else has any suggestions, please feel free to jump the thread to help us out.

 

Thanks!

I'm also Delta Medallion with TSA Pre-check as well and here is what I would do:

 

First of all, plan, hope and pray that everything is smooth: the ship is on time, customs clears timely, taxis are available, etc. If so, you will walk off at 7:30 and be at the airport by 8:15.

 

Prepare a plan B (and C and D as well). Know your flight options using different hubs if possible and even an alternate airline if Delta has catastrophic problems. Know your backup plans, but don't execute on them until it's obvious you won't make your flight. I assume you will be sitting in the Platinum lounge and monitoring Delta flight status while you wait. Once you know you're going to be unreasonably delayed leaving the ship, give Delta a call and start executing Plan B. You can do a same-day change at 24 hours, but you could do it at 2 hours as well, so I'd wait until you have a better idea when you will be off the ship. My experience is Delta answers calls from Medallions quickly and you usually get agents that know what they are doing. 

 

Enjoy your cruise and hope you don't need to execute Plan B!

[SpasmaticAstroturf]

Plan A Worked!  BTW, I did not mention our flight was from the Fort Lauderdale Airport.  We kept our original Delta flight and did not make any changes nor call to be placed on stand-by for later flights.  Flight was scheduled to leave at 9:05 am with 8:25 boarding.  I documented my disembarkation experience via my phone camera.  I set my phone alarm to wake up at 5:30. I was up a bit early and watched Celebration's progress via marinetraffic.com.  The ship entered the Government Cut in the Main Channel at 5:00 am.  

All am times Easter morning April 9th, 2023:

5:13 - Shipped passed by the docked RC Oasis by the Sea

5:33 - The Celebration rotated 180 degrees at the end of the Main Channel and headed to dock.

5:45 - The Celebration docked. (Heard from our Lyft driver from FLL to Miami hotel that the Celebration usually docks around 6:00 am)

6:30 - Entered the Grand Spectrum Theatre (Stored luggage just outside the theatre along with other Platinum and Diamond Cruisers).

6:35 - Set in the 4th row of the theatre and waited to be called to disembark.

6:50 - Allowed to Disembark (Originally scheduled for 7:30)

6:55 - Went thru customs (face recognition) - NO LINE

7:00 - Entered the terminal elevator for the first floor.

7:07 - Seated in the "only" cab in front of the terminal.  (The cab was an SUV - 30% surcharge added)

7:08 - Cab lesson learned, but worth the unexpected price.  

7:09 - Yes, I know I could have used Uber or Lyft.

7:37 - Cab dropped us off at terminal 2.

7:47 - Checked luggage at Delta Counter (Sky-Priority)

7:50 - Went thru TSA via Pre TSA-Boarding (NO WAIT IN EITHER LINE)

7:56 - Set down in Delta Gate D8 - waiting for plane.

8:30 - Boarded Plane with on time take off.

 

2:00 pm - HOME!!!!!!

 

It is possible to exit the Celebration and travel to the Fort Lauderdale airport, check-in, pass thru TSA screening, and make to the gate in 1 HOUR.  Could it work for you?  I don't know.  Sometimes things work out.  We had a great cruise.  Again, thanks for your all-prior comments! Drop me a line if you have any questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mz-s]

9 hours ago, SpasmaticAstroturf said:

Plan A Worked!  BTW, I did not mention our flight was from the Fort Lauderdale Airport.  We kept our original Delta flight and did not make any changes nor call to be placed on stand-by for later flights.  Flight was scheduled to leave at 9:05 am with 8:25 boarding.  I documented my disembarkation experience via my phone camera.  I set my phone alarm to wake up at 5:30. I was up a bit early and watched Celebration's progress via marinetraffic.com.  The ship entered the Government Cut in the Main Channel at 5:00 am.  

All am times Easter morning April 9th, 2023:

5:13 - Shipped passed by the docked RC Oasis by the Sea

5:33 - The Celebration rotated 180 degrees at the end of the Main Channel and headed to dock.

5:45 - The Celebration docked. (Heard from our Lyft driver from FLL to Miami hotel that the Celebration usually docks around 6:00 am)

6:30 - Entered the Grand Spectrum Theatre (Stored luggage just outside the theatre along with other Platinum and Diamond Cruisers).

6:35 - Set in the 4th row of the theatre and waited to be called to disembark.

6:50 - Allowed to Disembark (Originally scheduled for 7:30)

6:55 - Went thru customs (face recognition) - NO LINE

7:00 - Entered the terminal elevator for the first floor.

7:07 - Seated in the "only" cab in front of the terminal.  (The cab was an SUV - 30% surcharge added)

7:08 - Cab lesson learned, but worth the unexpected price.  

7:09 - Yes, I know I could have used Uber or Lyft.

7:37 - Cab dropped us off at terminal 2.

7:47 - Checked luggage at Delta Counter (Sky-Priority)

7:50 - Went thru TSA via Pre TSA-Boarding (NO WAIT IN EITHER LINE)

7:56 - Set down in Delta Gate D8 - waiting for plane.

8:30 - Boarded Plane with on time take off.

 

2:00 pm - HOME!!!!!!

 

It is possible to exit the Celebration and travel to the Fort Lauderdale airport, check-in, pass thru TSA screening, and make to the gate in 1 HOUR.  Could it work for you?  I don't know.  Sometimes things work out.  We had a great cruise.  Again, thanks for your all-prior comments! Drop me a line if you have any questions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glad to hear it! Everything worked out great for you - wonderful. Not much time for lee-way it seems though. If disembarkation was at the originally scheduled time of 7:30 and everything after was backed up by 30-40 minutes things would have been much more dramatic.

[cellfree]

10 hours ago, SpasmaticAstroturf said:

Plan A Worked!  BTW, I did not mention our flight was from the Fort Lauderdale Airport.  We kept our original Delta flight and did not make any changes nor call to be placed on stand-by for later flights.  Flight was scheduled to leave at 9:05 am with 8:25 boarding.  I documented my disembarkation experience via my phone camera.  I set my phone alarm to wake up at 5:30. I was up a bit early and watched Celebration's progress …

 

It is possible to exit the Celebration and travel to the Fort Lauderdale airport, check-in, pass thru TSA screening, and make to the gate in 1 HOUR.  Could it work for you?  I don't know.  Sometimes things work out.  We had a great cruise.  Again, thanks for your all-prior comments! Drop me a line if you have any questions.

 

Wow, glad the timing was truly perfect for you. Glad you never mentioned earlier that your flight was from FLL. You would have had all us “cruise critic advisors” crazy - ha. 

[csm5986142]

Nice! 

You have a way higher tolerance for stress than I do.  😆

Thanks for coming back and updating - glad it worked out.

[SpasmaticAstroturf]

Just missed this by 3 days.  That is an incredible amount of rain!  

 

April 4, Wednesday, Fort Lauderdale tallied 25.91 inches in a 24-hour period, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service office in Miami.